Gas-furnace.



PATBNTED MAR, 24, 1903.

B.- s'. GLOWER.. GASPURNAGE.

APPLICATION FILED SBT. 29. 1902.

NO MODEL.'

NITED STATE/sA vPAT-ENF FFICE.

EDWINS. CLOWER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAS-FURNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 723,514, dated March 24, 1903.

.Application filed September 29, 1902. Serial No. 125,230. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concer-n,.-

Beit known that I, EDWIN S. CLOWER`,'a citizen of the United States, residing at'Germantown, in the county of Philadelphiaand State of Pennsylvania,` have inventeda new and useful Gas-Furnace, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to hot-air furnaces for hot-air heating systems, and Yhas for its object to provide an improved furnace of'this character which is adapted for burning ordinary illuminating-gas as a fuel.

It is furthermore designed to `have the air first heated within the body of -the furnace and then conductedby outlet-pipes'to the usual service-pipe systems for conducting the heated air to points remote from the furnace.

Another object is to provide'a large heatradiating surface and a correspondingly large hot-air chamber in a comparatively small furnace.

A still further object is to provide' for effectually supplying moisture to the' heated air, so as to overcome the objection to 'dry hot air.

With these and otherobjects in view'the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more-fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, Vand particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from` the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of Athe invention.

In the drawings,- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gas-burning furnace constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through the top portion of the furnace on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view taken through the lower portion of the furnace on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 isa detail sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draw- 1ngs.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a base l in the form of a cylindrical grating or other perforate construction whereby fresh cold air may have access to the hot-air chamber of the furnace, as will be hereinafter described. This base has an open top and while not necessary is preferably provided with a bottom 2, and in one side of the baseis an opening 3, whereby access may be hadto the burner for lighting the same. When the bottom plate 2 is employed, it is provided with an Au'pstanding concentric flange 4 to form a seat for the removable reception of the lower end of the combustion-chamber. At the top of the base there vis an outwardly directed peripheral flange 5, from the outer edge of which rises an upstanding cylindrical rim 6, which cooperates to form a peripheral seat for the upstanding cylindrical shell 7, that forms the body or outer casing of the furnace.

The lower end of the shell or casing 7 is removably supported upon the top of the base and is provided with a iiat inwardly-directed peripheral dange 8, which'has an opstanding rim 9 rising from its inner edge. The upper .end of the shell is closed by means of a hanged removable top lO, which is provided with a central opening ll.

Located concentrically within the shell 7 is a combustion-chamber l2, consisting of an upstanding shell, the lower end of which is supported upon the bottom 2 of the base and isV also removably and snugly fitted within the flange 4, whereby the shell is centered within the furnace and is held against displacement. At its top the shell l2 is provided with a cover 13.

Within the bottom of the combustion-chamber 12 is a gas-burner 14, consisting of a pipecoil having its top perforated, with a supplypipe l5 piercing thesides ofV the base and the combustion-chamber and communicating with a source of supply. (Not shown.) At a point in line with the opening 3 in the side of the base a damper-door 16 is provided in the side of the combustion-chamber, whereby access may be had to the burner for lighting the same, and the required supply of air is conducted to the burner.

While not absolutely essential it is desirable to have the ame and heated products of combustion maintained as close as possible to the inner walls of the combustion-cham- IOO vlo

ber, and therefore I employ a delector consisting of a hollow closed cylinder 17, forming au interior dead-air space and located concentrically within the combustion-chamber, with its lower tapered end 18 projected downwardly through the center of the burner-coil 14, with its upwardly and outwardly flared sides overhanging the burner, thereby to deect the flame outwardly into intimate contact with the walls of the combustion-chamber. There is of course an annular space between the cylindrical body portion of the deector and the walls of the combustion-chamber, so as to permit of the free ascent of the heated products of combustion, and said deflector extends throughout the greater part of the length of the combustion-chamber, so as to confine the heated products of combustion in intimate contact withthe walls of said chamber, but is terminated short of the top of the chamber, so as to provide an unobstructed space between the top of the deflector and the top of the chamber. The bottom of the deiiector rests upon the bottom of the base as a support, while the upper portion of the deector is provided with outwardly-directed spacing projections 19, which frictionally engage the walls of the combustion-chamber, so as to center the defiector therein without materially interfering with the free circulation of the products of combustion.

Surrounding the combustion-chamber and disposed substantially midway between the same and the external casing 7 is a hot-air chamber formed by the upstanding shell 20, which has its lower end removably supported upon the da nge 8 of the external casing and snugly embracing the upstanding rim 9, the upper end ofthe shell being terminated short of the top of the casing and provided with a top or closure 21, which is disposed above the top of the combustion-chamber. It will here be noted that the flange S at the bottom of the external shell 7 terminates short of the combustion-chamber, whereby the hot-air chamber is open at its bottom, so as to receive an adequate supply of fresh cold air which passes inwardly through the perforate or grating base. air chamber and the external shell 7 is a smoke-chamber, communication being had therewith from the combustion-chamber by means of upstauding Hues 22, which pierce the top of the combustion-chamber and also pass through the top of the hot-air chamber, and thereby communicate directly with the smoke-space between the tops of the hot-air chamber and the external shell. This smokespace is divided into compartments by means of radial partitions 23, preferably four in number, which extend from the central fiue or pipe 24, which pierces the tops of the hot-air chamber and the external shell, so as to carry the hot air to the branch or main supply pipes 25 for conducting the heated air to the pipe system and thence to remote points. As plainly indicated in Fig. 3, it will be seen 'lhe space between the hot that the radial partitions 23 have their outer ends provided with anges 26,-which are riveted or otherwise connected to the shell, and at the outer edges of the partitions are pendent extensions 27, which fit snugly between the external shell and the hot-air chamber 20, so as to form individual npstanding smoke-fines, the extensions being terminated short of the bottom of the external shell in order that all of the ilues may communicate with the unobstructed annular space between the external shell and the hot-air chamber, there being a suitable smoke-pipe 28 piercing the external shell at a point below the ends of the partitions 27, so as to carry ed the smoke and products of combustion.

Upon the top of the furnace is a water-tank 2S), which is supported upon suitable legs 30 and is provided with upstanding pipes 31, which pierce the top of the tank and also pierce the under sides of the hot-air pipes 25, thereby to su pply the desired moisture to the heated air after it has passed from the furnace and entered the supply-pipes 25. There is a suitable filling-opening in the top of the tank, and said opening is provided with a removable closure 32.

In the construction of the present furnace it is preferred toform the base of cast metal, with the several shells formed of sheet metal and removably supported upon the base, whereby the furnace may be readily set up and taken apart, and should any of the shells burn out they can be readily replaced. Furthermore, the detlector 17 may be removed should it be found unnecessary in any particular case. By arranging the hot-air space concentrically between the combustion-chamber and the smoke-chamber a very large heat-radiating surface is pro vided and a correspond- -ingly large hot-air chamber is obtained.

A very important feature of the present furnace resides in the fact that no gas can escape into the hot-air chamber,as the combustion-chamber is entirely closed, and as the hot-air chamber is thus entirely free from gas and products of combustion it is impossible for noxious gases to be conducted into the rooms of the building with the hot air.

What is claimed is- IOO IIO

1. In a furnace, the combination of inner, Y

outer and intermediate concentric combustion smoke and hot-air chambers, of which the smoke-chamber is closed at its lower end and the hot-air chamber is open at its lower end for receiving fresh air, the tops of the chambers being closedwith the top of the hotair chamber disposed above that of the combustion-chamber and the top of the smokechamber above that of thefhot-air chamber, dues piercing the tops of the combustion and hot-air chambers and communicating from the former to the smoke-chamber, and a hotair pipe leading from the hot-air chamber.

2. In a hot-air furnace, the combination of a central combustion chamber, a hot-air chamber surrounding the combuston-cham ber and rising above the latter, a smokechamber surrounding the hot-air chamber and rising above the same, the tops of the several chambers being closed, with the upper portion of the combustion-chamber in communication with the top of the smokechalnber, a hot-air pipe leading from the hotair chamber and piercing the top ofthe smokechamber, radial partitions in the top of the smoke-chamber and leading from the hot-air pipe, the outer ends of the partitions being provided with pendent extensions fitting snugly between the walls of the hot-air chamber and the smoke-chamber and terminating short of the bottom of the latter, and a smoke-pipe piercing the smoke-chamber at a point below the lower ends of the extensions of the partitions.

B. In a hot-air furnace, the combination of a central combustion-chamber,a hot-air chamber surrounding the same withits upper end closed and disposed above the top of the combustion-chamber and also having an open lower end for the reception of fresh air, a smoke chamber surrounding the hot air chamber with its lower end closed and its upper end also closed and disposed above the top of the hot-air chamber, iiues leading from the top of the combustion-chamber to the top of the smoke-chamber, a hot-air pipe leading from the top of the hot-air chamber and centrally piercing the latter and the top of the smoke-chamber, radial partitions leading from the hot-air pipe to the outer walls of the smoke-chamber and disposed between-the respective lues leading from the combustionchamber to the smoke-chamber, pendent extensions at the outer ends of the partitions and terminated short 'of the bottom of the smoke-chamber, whereby the latteris divided into vertical compartments, and a smoke-pipe piercing the smoke-chamber at a point below the lower ends of the extensions of the partitions.

4. In ahot-airfurnace,the combination with a hollow perforate base with an open top and a peripheral seat at its upper end, of a shell supported in the seat and provided with an inner peripheral flange at its lower end, said lower end being otherwise open, an upstanding shell which is closed at the top and open at the bottom with its lower end supported upon the flange of the outer shell, a combustion-chamber disposed within the inner shell and provided with a closed top, iues leading from the top of the combustion-chamber'to the top of the smoke-chamber between the inner and outer shells, a smoke-pipe leading from the smoke-chamber, and a hot-air pipe leading from the hot-.air chamber between the inner shell and the combustion-chamber.

5. In a hot-air furnace, the combination of a hollowperforate base having an open top/and an opening in one side thereof, a combustionchamber supported centrally within the base, a damper-door in one side of the combustionchamber and alined with the opening in the base, a hot-air chamber surrounding the combustionchamber with its lower end in communication with the interior of the base, a smoke chamber surrounding the hot air chamber and ysupported upon the base, a smoke-pipe leading from the smoke-chamber, and a hot-air pipe leading from the hot-air chamber.

6. In a hotfair furnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, a burner-coil located at the bottom of the combustion-chamber, a deflcctor consisting of a hollow closed shell formingan interipgrl dead-,air space and extending upward from the bottom of the combustion-chamber throughout the greater part of the length of the same, its lower end being arranged within the burner, and a hot-air chamber surrounding` the combustion-chamber, substantially as described.

7. In a hot-air furnace, the combination of a perforate base having an open top, a combustion-chamber supported withinthe base, a burner-coil within the bottom of the combustion -chamber,Y a deflector disposed centrally within the combustion-chamber with its lower downwardljta ered end projected through the burner-coil an is\sidesnrising substantially parallel with the walls of the chamber and terminating short of the top thereof, an external casing surrounding the combustion-chamber and supported upon the base, with an inner annular flange at the bottom of lthe casing and terminated short of the combustion-chamber, a hot-air shell supported upon the flange with its upper closed end disposed between the top of the combustionchamber and the top of the outer casing, dues piercing the tops of the combustion-chamber and hot-air shell and leading from the interior of the combustion-chamber to the smokespace between the hot-air shell and the outer casing, a hot-air pipe centrally piercing the tops of the hot-air shell and the outer casing, radial partitions extending from the hot-air pipe tothe sidesof the outer casing and provided With pendent extensions disposed between the hot-air shell and the outer casing and terminated short of the lower ends thereof, and a smoke-pipe piercing the outer casing at a point below the lower ends of the extensions of the partitions.

8. In a hot-air furnace, the combination of a combustion-chamber, a hot-air chamber, a hot-air pipe leading from the hot-air chamber and piercing the top of the furnace, branch pipes leading from the hot-air pipe and disposed above the top of the furnace, a waterrtdanfe supported upon the top of the'furnace `below the branch pipes, and upstanding pipes Aleading f rom the top of the IOO IIO

IIS

water-tank to the respective branch pipes for supplying moisture to the heated air.

. 9. In a hot-air furnace, the combination of an upstanding combustion-chamber, a hot-air chamber surrounding the combustion-cham- 5 and the hot-air chamber and leading from the former to the smoke-chamber, an u pstandin g hot-air pipe centrally piercing the tops of the hot'air chamber and the smoke-chamber and rising above the latter, branch pipes leadro ing from the hot-air pipe, a Water-tank sup- -ported upon the top of the smoke-chamber and surrounding the upstanding hot-air pipe, and npstanding pipes leading from the top of the water-tank to the branch pipes for supr5 plying moisture thereto.l

10. In ahot-air furnace, the combination of a easing,'a hot-air pipe extending from the casing, and an exteriorly-arranged closed Waterreceptacle communicating with the hot-air pipe at a point above the level of the Water, substantially as described.

l1. In ahot-air furnace, the combination of a Casin g, a hot-air pipe extending from the casing at the top thereof and provided with branches, a closed water-receptacle located above the casing and supported by the hotair pipe, and short pipes extending upward from the water-receptacle and communicating with the same and with the branches of the hot-air pipe, substantially as described.

- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ED WIN S. CLOWER.

Witnesses:

GEO. MECKE, EDMUND B. SEYMOUR. 

